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The central defender is on an emergency loan at Hibs after his January move to Blackburn Rovers fell through because of work permit issues. The 28-year-old has not played for his parent club since July’s European Cup qualifiers.

Ambrose is an experienced international, having played for Nigeria when they won the 2013 African Cup of Nations, and at the following year’s World Cup, where the Super Eagles reached the knockout stages. He played at right-back in both competitions, and was named in the team of the tournament in the first of them. He has more than 50 caps.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

Regarded mainly as a ball-playing centre-back, he can also operate as a holding midfielder as well as at full-back.

In January Moyes went to watch another Scottish Championship defender, left-back Tony Gallacher, in Falkirk’s game at St Mirren, only for the highly-rated teenager not to make it off the bench.

Planning for next season is more difficult for the Black Cats because they do not know what division they will be playing in.

Hull City’s victory over Swansea City made little difference to the bottom-of-the-table outfit, who remain six points adrift of Premier League safety.

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Bournemouth’s 3-2 win over West Ham United – their first victory of 2017 – took them 11 points clear of Sunderland, who have 11 games to play to the Cherries’ ten. That probably reduces the number of teams the Black Cats can realistic catch this season to five – Middlesbrough, Hull, Crystal Palace, Swansea and Leicester City.

Moyes believes unity is his side’s best chance of survival, saying: “There is a general feeling of closeness and I hope the supporters are part of the club.

“We don’t want to let them down and we want to do well. If we stick together, keep the group tight then we will get some results in the end.”

Arsenal’s FA Cup quarter-final victory over Lincoln City means Sunderland’s April 22 trip to North London will now be postponed.